Madame Winthrop did not know anything about the law in this case; but she was so angry—she had worked herself into such a rage over the obstinacy of the girl—that she made this statement at random, determined, if possible, to frighten Salome into confessing her whole story to her. A look of horror suddenly shot into the young wife’s eyes and over her sensitive face, which blanched to the hue of marble. She seemed almost to freeze where she stood and to shrink before those two heartless women, a terrible fear written on every quivering feature. “No! do not tell me that!” she whispered hoarsely. “The law decrees that no contract is binding that is obtained by fraud on the part of either party; it becomes illegal, and thus, do you not see, by being married under a name that was not your true one your marriage was invalid?” said madam impressively. “Oh, but True believes it to have been legal; he intended that it should be. He would never have wronged me so, and I am sure he will make it all right when he comes home,” Salome cried, appalled at the situation as represented to her. “That remains to be seen,” returned the elder woman severely. “My son is a man who abhors deception of any kind; he would never overlook being drawn into such a false position by fraud. More than this, he was pledged to another when, from a feeling of pity and gratitude, he asked you to be his wife.” Madame Winthrop reached the end of her rope at this point, for with one agonized gasp Salome fainted dead away. The knowledge that her husband had broken his pledge to another, perhaps thus ruining his own and the life of some lovely girl, was too much for her already overburdened heart, and a merciful unconsciousness locked her senses in temporary oblivion. Madame Winthrop and Evelyn were both somewhat frightened by this result of their inhuman arraignment of the young wife, and so they resolved to keep all knowledge of it from the servants, if possible. They laid her upon the lounge, loosened her clothing, and applied restoratives. “I’m afraid we are getting ourselves into trouble, mamma,” Evelyn remarked as she regarded Salome’s death-like face with great anxiety. “True would never forgive us if anything should happen to her through us.” “She’s an obstinate little piece,” replied madam, with a frown. “I didn’t think she’d hold out like this, nor go off in any such way. But,” she continued relentlessly, “I’m determined to discover the secret of her life before Truman comes home. I’m almost sure there is some disgraceful story connected with her past, and, if there is, I shall wish that something might happen to her.” Evelyn regarded her mother with some surprise as she said this. She had always known that she was an intensely proud, somewhat cold-hearted woman, but she was shocked by such utter heartlessness as this. Salome at length revived, and they helped her to her own room and called Nellie to attend her.